Be yourself, son. Don’t pay attention to the trouts, son. The first time I heard 3Pac was when I got home after giving too many hoots at work. I walked upstairs and found my best friend, Goose, lying on the floor watching the YouTube video “AINT STOPPIN (BEAST MODE ACTIVATED). He says, “Dude, you gotta see this.” 90 seconds into the song and I was free of all hoots — I was healed son.

I’d like to preface the rest of this story with my initial concern — was I out of the ZHG for not knowing 3Pac before he passed? As you could imagine, I felt that there would be some resistance from those who knew 3. I told Willie J about this concern. I was stoked when he supported my vision of being an advocate for future hootless warriors who embody 3Pac’s mantra.

Before I got blessed by the Ancient Silverback on Youtube, I was beatsquat. I’d wake up at 4am for work feeling sorry for myself, giving a hoot everyday, letting the little things get to me; all while losing touch with friends, loved ones, and myself. This included poor health and wanting to be alone all the time. The new role I settled in demanded a lot from me — both physically and mentally. I was struggling with rigorous east-coast hours and a lack of any work-life balance. I very easily lost sight of what mattered — living your life by your own standards, not anyone else’s.

For example — there was a day I remember being especially beat. I was living in a world where I thought my place of work owed me more recognition for the work I was doing. In my eyes, I was sacrificing more than anyone. I had a certain account I was chasing forever. I was going to extremes getting in at 4am for months trying to connect with a President of this company. I realized I called this guy more times this year than I did my mother, father, sister, and best friends COMBINED. I became too busy for those closest to me.

Before seeing 3Pac on Youtube, I would come home from work and sit on the couch not saying shit to anyone, living in a negative silence. No energy. No motivation to do anything. Watching everyone else living their lives on social media. What I failed to realize at the time was this: if you put zero in, you get zero out. This is especially true in your personal life.

Fast forward to the day I come home from work, hearing Goose cracking up by himself upstairs. We spent the next hour enjoying watching 3Pac give zero hoots in his music videos. We couldn’t get enough of it. That afternoon was different for once; yet very familiar. We were back to our normal selves, making fun of everything, having a good time, appreciating life again. We realized how lucky we were to live at Pico, in Santa Barbara, with loving families, loyal friends, our health, and a little chedda son. It’s funny how a couple good laughs cured us of our hoots. We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing at how beat we have been for the last few months.

One video in particular stood out to me: “DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE 3PAC”. I rewatched this again and again before I went to sleep; laughing watching 3Pac having fun, tearing up Chuck E. Cheese, rolling around in the grass, being himself. I saw a lot of myself in this video; and I think that’s what 3Pac does best. He’s a reflection of everyone’s hootless self. A kid at heart, but a beast in the booth son.

“Damn it feels good to be 3Pac,

All of my dreams came true,

Haters said I wouldn’t make it,

Now they’re really upset”

– 3Pac

Since being exposed to 3Pac and the ZHG, I’ve been happier, healthier, and hoot-free. I’ve learned that we were put on this Earth to act out of love, not hate. Whenever I feel myself giving a hoot, I think about my favorite 3Pac videos and feel better.

I cannot imagine how much happiness he brought his family, friends, teammates, chedda mommas, etc. Furthermore, how much sadness was felt when he left us. But, what I can speak to is the positive effect Ryan’s had on people after his passing — even those who didn’t know him. Like Willie J said, it’s up to us to send hootless energy into the universe to keep the legend alive.